Use Cases for WPS (Website Payments Standard)
Website Payments Standard (WPS) is a legacy PayPal integration that allows you to accept payments on your website using PayPal-hosted buttons and payment pages. With WPS, you can create payment buttons through your PayPal account dashboard without needing to write code. When customers click these buttons, they're directed to PayPal to complete their purchase.
PayPal now offers modern solutions with enhanced features, better mobile experiences, and more customization options to help you grow your business.
Use case identification
To find the right upgrade path for your business, first identify which WPS use case matches your current setup. Review the descriptions below to determine which one best describes how you accept payments today.
1. Customer Set Price
You're using this use case if customers can enter their own payment amount on your website. This is commonly used for donations, tips, professional services, or any situation where the payment amount varies by customer.
Recommended: Upgrade to PayPal Payment Buttons
- Custom amount field
- No fixed pricing
- Optional invoice/note
2. Simple Buy Button
You're using this use case if you sell individual products or services at fixed prices using PayPal buttons. Each button is linked to a single item with a set price, and customers purchase one item at a time.
Recommended: Upgrade to PayPal Payment Buttons
- Fixed price products
- 1-3 items typically
- Optional variants (size, quantity, color etc)
3. PayPal Hosted Shopping Cart
You're using this use case if customers can add multiple products to a cart before checking out. PayPal hosts and manages the entire shopping cart experience, including cart page and checkout flow.
Recommended: Upgrade to PayPal Shopping Cart Buttons
- Multiple products (usually less than 20)
- Basic inventory management
- Cart hosted by PayPal
